Late Tartan Day Report- The Kandahar Reel

[Lallans]

The Ottawa Tartan Day event was held on Parliament Hill on April 10 (I had earlier been told it would be April 9- apologies if anyone was misled by my earlier post), hosted as usual by the Sons of Scotland, who were led as usual by a young woman. Whereas the first time I attended, I was interviewed by a local paper while standing on top of a 4 foot snowbank, it was a very nice sunny warm day this year. And there were up to 20 kilted non-performers, meaning I was not "the guy in the kilt' just "a guy in a kilt."

There were several cultural groups performing, including a Gaelic choir and Highland dancers of all ages- the oldest group of dancers did a particularly impressive new reel developed by the Black Watch of Canada while they were on duty in Afghanistan- the Kandahar Reel, portraying both types of helicopters they were travelling in, twin bladed Chinooks and single bladed Blackhawks. Myself having 3 left feet and near zero sense of rythm, dance does not normally impress me, but that reel was a thing of beauty, two bladed and single-bladed. Apparently there is a tradition of Canadian Highland Regiments deveoping special commemorative reels; a previous time mentioned was during internment in a WWII prisoner of war camp- by the Ross Highlanders (?) ...I'm afraid I was inattentive at first.

[Brian K]

I Googled the Kandahar Reel and enjoyed the dance a lot. I watched two versions. One with the RSCDS putting on a demonstration in Aberdeen and one with officers of the RROS in mess dress dancing with their ladies. The RSCDS were better technically than the soldiers, but the soldiers were much more exuberant and that was the version I enjoyed more!

[JSFMACLJR]

The Kandahar Reel will be danced at the Royal Caledonian Ball in London next month.

[JSFMACLJR]

...The RSCDS were better technically than the soldiers, but the soldiers were much more exuberant and that was the version I enjoyed more!

I agree! That's what I love about "social" reeling: you don't have to be precise and everyone is having SUCH A GOOD TIME!

[JSFMACLJR]

the oldest group of dancers did a particularly impressive new reel developed by the Black Watch of Canada while they were on duty in Afghanistan- the Kandahar Reel, portraying both types of helicopters they were travelling in, twin bladed Chinooks and single bladed Blackhawks. Myself having 3 left feet and near zero sense of rythm, dance does not normally impress me, but that reel was a thing of beauty, two bladed and single-bladed. Apparently there is a tradition of Canadian Highland Regiments deveoping special commemorative reels; a previous time mentioned was during internment in a WWII prisoner of war camp- by the Ross Highlanders (?) ...I'm afraid I was inattentive at first.

I believe the Kandahar Reel was developed by officers of The Black Watch,
3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, rather than the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada...not that it matters too much!

[JSFMACLJR]

I Googled the Kandahar Reel and enjoyed the dance a lot. I watched two versions. One with the RSCDS putting on a demonstration in Aberdeen and one with officers of the RROS in mess dress dancing with their ladies. The RSCDS were better technically than the soldiers, but the soldiers were much more exuberant and that was the version I enjoyed more!

I know a couple of those chaps, too!

[Lallans]

I believe the Kandahar Reel was developed by officers of The Black Watch,
3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, rather than the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada...not that it matters too much!

It's not like us Canucks to claim credit for anything we've done, so I'd be surprised if the spokesperson for the dancers had it wrong- but it might happen, and also as I said I was inattentive at the start of the presentation. From Google I now see that it does seem to have been Brits but perhaps this could be settled once and for all by a reel authority on Xmarks? (Reely sorry but couldn't resist the pun.)

[Lallans]

Just a question, but the Black Watch UK was of course posted on active service in Kandahar, in the current conflict? That is something Canada was taking credit (and casualties) for.

[Mike_Oettle]

This is a reel I will have to track down and watch.
But I was wondering whether any regiment or other group had lately done a 128-some reel, as so memorably described by George Macdonald Fraser in his collection of tales titled The General Danced at Dawn?
Regards,
Mike

[BobsYourUncle]

The RSCDS website credits the Kandahar Reel to the Black Watch UK, and is selling copies to benefit the ABF:

http://demo.rscds.org/news/shop-news...ahar-reel.html

The Kandahar Reel
We are delighted to announce the arrival of a unique new publication! The Kandahar Reel is a new country dance devised by Capt A H Colquhoun and Lt R J Colquhoun, two serving army officers of The Black Watch, as a tribute to their fallen comrades. Members may recall reading an article about the dance in Scottish Country Dancer #10.

The RSCDS and ABF The Soldier's Charity have now jointly published a booklet, containing:

•the original version of the dance•the dance as adapted by the RSCDS
•music for the adapted version, written by Jamie Forrester, and arranged for piano by Maureen Rutherford, with melody arranged by Frank Thomson
•detailed background to The Kandahar Reel
•notes on the Scottish Tradition of dancing
The booklet's launch was celebrated at the Ball held in Aberdeen on 17 September to get Dance Scottish Week 2010 under way, with a demonstration of The Kandahar Reel by a team of Aberdeen Branch dancers - which can be seen on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BChEesiaLK0

The booklet is available only from RSCDS Headquarters (and ABF sources), price £4.00. It is not available through the RSCDS online shop, and no discounts apply. Half the proceeds from the sale of each book will go to ABF The Soldier's Charity. Please email info@rscds.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone us on +44 (0)131 225 3854 to order your copy.

The Youtube performance linked from the RCDS website took place in Aberdeen.

Cheers!